As a 39-year-old man embracing my studenthood once again as a college freshman, there were a few reservations and many questions as I entered my first class at TKU. Of course, as God works things out, it was the perfect class for me.
I naturally enjoy writing, and also needed to get acquainted with how it’s done at the university level. Professor Land is an excellent instructor and I would recommend his class to anyone. He artfully taught us concepts while making us think at deeper levels, often about things we already like.
We learned how to use ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos to write persuasively. Potentially more importantly, we learned to recognize how others use these to influence us. We learned about dialectical reasoning, rhetorical analysis, peer revision, and other important topics. Without expressly focusing on it, Professor Land kept us thinking critically throughout the class, which I recognize as being vitally important in learning environments today.
Beyond the creative writing assignments, I thoroughly enjoyed our discussion board engagements. We had thought-provoking topics to discuss, and I love the brilliant simplicity of having people submit their posts blindly, without seeing what anyone else had written. I was quite surprised when I was the only one who held my particular stance regarding the analysis of Chaplin’s speech.
Overall, I learned a lot. But as important as what I learned, is how I learned. I feel that this class was very well done. It was fun and engaging, and it really made me think at deeper levels which I haven’t been able to do for quite some time. Not only will I be a better writer moving forward, but a better thinker. Both in how I think and my ability to persuade, but also in how I interpret what others are saying and can better understand the ‘why’ behind what they are doing.
I’m truly grateful to Professor Land, TKU, and God for this class.
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